The headlines of the leading newspapers on 24 March 2025:
NATIONAL:
# Business Day:
Reports the government is establishing an office to house private investments in port and rail infrastructure. The minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy says her department is in the final stages of signing a memorandum of understanding with the Development Bank of Southern Africa and the National Treasury for the establishment of a Private Sector Participation Unit.
# And the Netwerk24 website:
Reports the expelled South African ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool is back in the country and says he does not regret his actions in the US. He says he hopes president Cyril Ramaphosa finds a suitable person to repair the crumbling ties with America.
Then the website writes the 42-year-old cheetah expert, Vincent van der Merwe committed suicide in Saudi Arabia.
And finally, there is news about the nine-year-old Johandré Blom who lost his arm in a crocodile attack at the Roodekopjes Dam near Brits.
GAUTENG:
# The Star & Pretoria News:
Reports ANC deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane says Sandton Drive should be named after Palestinian freedom fighter Leila Khaled as soon as possible because she wants to see the US consulate, which is located in the street, print it on their letterheads. The US has threatened to close the consulate.
And secondly, the newspaper writes that one of the oldest survivors of the Sharpeville massacre, 82-year-old Molibedi Poonyane, says that many more than 69 people were shot dead.
# Sowetan:
Reports Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has linked the killing of five people in Soshanguve to incidents of extortion.
# And The Citizen:
Writes according to experts, Eskom does not have the generation capacity to meet the winter demand, and a dark cold winter awaits South Africans.
WESTERN CAPE:
# Die Burger:
Devotes its entire front page to the plane crash at the West Coast Air Show when the Impala plane of James O’Connell crashed. The show commentator with 36 years of experience, Brian Emmenis, shares his shock about the accident with Die Burger’s readers.
EASTERN CAPE:
# The Herald in Gqeberha:
Reports the minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has undertaken to have contractors on-site at the vandalised KwaNobuhle Multi-Purpose Centre within 30 days.
And secondly, the paper writes workers at several nursery schools across the Eastern Cape are anxiously waiting to find out whether they will be paid for April, as their employer, the KleuterZone group, faces financial ruin.
KWAZULU-NATAL:
# The Witness in Pietermaritzburg:
Writes the South African Social Security Agency has blamed delays in death registrations for the payment of 140-million-rand to deceased persons.
And reports on houses to be built for victims of the storms and floods in KwaZulu-Natal.
And finally from NAMIBIA:
# Republikein in Windhoek:
Reports the fifth and first female president of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, was sworn in on Friday and on Saturday she announced her new, smaller cabinet.
And secondly, the paper writes Namibia’s Independence weekend was soaking wet and filled with joy, celebrations and gratitude for the nationwide rain. However, there was also damage that caused chaos.